Anti-grazing bills: Lagos NUJ says FG must take a stand on Fulani herdsmen menace

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has been charged to take a stand over the menace of Fulani herdsmen across the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) gave this charge at its meeting held at the Combo Hall, Lagos State Television, Agindingbi, last weekend.

In a communique made available to NaijaAgroNet, NUJ while reacting on the state of the nation and the union, outlined some six-point as enunciated by the communiqué committee, made up of Ajibola Abayomi, Eniola Ajayi, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Chidinma Agu and Olalekan Olagunju, frowned at the spate of anti- grazing bill being championed by various states across the country, lamenting that FG silent over the matter is no longer golden.

“The Federal Government was challenged to come up with a stand following reactions of various states against the grazing bill in order to curtail violence between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen,” the congress charged, kicking against the plan by the Federal Government to clamp down on the social media.

On the 2018 budgetary allocation by the Federal Government, the congress presided over by its newly elected chairman, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, said the allocation of 6 per cent of the fund to the education sector as against the 26 per cent recommended by the United Nations, and as such advised the government to give higher percentage to the sector to engender development.

In addition, the congress urged a step up of professionalism among journalists via training and retraining of members into online publication, in order to raise the level of professionalism and operate within the ethics of the profession.

Further, the congress resolved:

“That it was high time the Union researched and championed new marketing models to aid media development so as to meet its financial obligations and commitments in the changing phase of the economy;

“To set up Welfare Committee to assist Journalists facing challenges and also to liaise appropriately with management of media houses on prompt payment of salaries;

“Committees set up to look into various crises on land matters were given up to January 2018 Congress to submit their reports to enable the Union take a position on the way forward.”

Uju N. Domonic/ED, Ops

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Poor diets, ill-equipped food systems growing threat to nutrition

NaijaAgroNet:

The Asia-Pacific region, home to most of the world's undernourished people, needs urgent action to improve diets and reset its food systems which are critical to the delivery of healthy, nutritious foods, says the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the findings of FAO's 2017 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition report, there is a pressing need to tackle malnutrition alongside further promotion of the consumption of healthier foods while curbing the growth in consumption of unhealthy foods. 

In addition to further investment in agriculture, the report also underlines an urgent need to step up investment in other areas to tackle malnutrition, such as improvements to sanitation, access to safe drinking water, improving diets during the first 1,000 days of life and policies and promotions to increase consumption of diverse nutrient-rich foods.

While food security has improved for millions of people in the Asia-Pacific region, hunger and malnutrition appear to be on the rise in some areas, the report warns. The latest figures indicate roughly half-a-billion people are undernourished in Asia and the Pacific.

The situation is particularly dire for children below the age of five. Overall, one-in-four suffers from stunting.  However, the report also finds that, during the last 15 years, obesity is on the rise, with "significant increases" in the prevalence of overweight children, particularly in South Asia, that is from three per cent to seven per cent and Oceania, from five per cent to nearly 10 per cent.

Isaac Oyimah with agency reports/GEE

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Use antibiotics wisely to combat rising drug resistance

NaijaAgroNet:

Leading up to 2017 World Antibiotic Awareness Week, slated between November 13 and 19, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) are together calling for responsible use of antibiotics in humans and animals to reduce the emergence of antibiotic resistance, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Antibiotic resistance, NaijaAgroNet report, is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world and threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases.

Also, NaijaAgroNet reports that infections affecting people including pneumonia, tuberculosis, blood poisoning and gonorrhoea - and animals alike are becoming harder, and sometimes impossible, to treat as antibiotics become less effective.

Antibiotics, experts say, are often overprescribed by physicians and veterinarians and overused by the public. Where they can be bought for human or animal use without a prescription, the emergence and spread of resistance is made worse.

They also cited examples of misuse include taking antibiotics for viral infections like colds and flu, and using them as animal growth promoters on farms or in aquaculture.

To tackle these problems, WHO, FAO and OIE are leveraging their expertise and working together in a ‘One Health' approach to promote best practices to reduce the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes in both humans and animals.

"Antibiotic resistance is a global crisis that we cannot ignore," says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. "If we don't tackle this threat with strong, coordinated action, antimicrobial resistance will take us back to a time when people feared common infections and risked their lives from minor surgery."

"The overuse of antimicrobials blunts their effectiveness, and we must reduce their misuse in food systems," says José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of FAO. "Antimicrobial veterinary medicines are a crucial tool for animal health and welfare and safe food production, but they are by no means the only tool."

"Like in human health, veterinary medicine has tremendously progressed thanks to antibiotics. Preserving their efficacy and availability through their responsible use associated with good husbandry and prevention practices, is therefore essential to preserve animal health and welfare," highlights Dr Monique Eloit, Director-General of OIE. 

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Pix: Prof. Adewale, Minister of Health

General Motors targets autonomous future vehicles

NaijaAgroNet:

The General Motors (GM) is targeting to launch the autonomous future vehicles, come Monday, November 30, 2017, in San Francisco, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) General Motors, Mary Barra made this disclosure while reviewing the automaker’s third-quarter earnings.

Although she did not provide details, according to agency reports, quoted Barra as saying GM would launch a mix of at least 20 new all-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles globally by 2023, including two in the next 18 months.

“We are committed to an all-electric future,” Barra said during the third-quarter conference call, stressing that GM is “confident” it can make the vehicles profitable.

According to the reports, GM shares have surged about 30 per cent this year to record highs since the company began trading shares at $33 a share in November 2010.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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OML 29 is not for sale

NaijaAgroNet:

The management of Aiteo, owners of the OML 29 has declared that the oil well was secured through indisputable, legitimate and transparent best practices by the private entity, Shell, reports NaijaAgroNet. The company also said that its aware of some fraudsters running a reports-for-cash syndicate, about whom “we raised alarm so very recently, are suggesting that a portion of the shareholding of the company that holds the asset, OML 29 had been put up for sale to repay a loan.” For the avoidance of doubt, Aiteo told NaijaAgroNet, it has neither considered, initiated nor announced the commencement of any plans to sell off any of its stake in OML 29. The reasons are patently clear. “First, since the takeover of the asset we have successfully quadrupled production that it would be commercially inept to consider a disposal of any sort, now. Second, there are several legitimate entities that constitute ownership of the oil block, such that it would be practically impossible for us to unilaterally consider disposing of the asset. As such, we urge the public to summarily disregard these unsavoury and fabricated reports in their entirety. “The claim that Bruce Burrows’ recent appointment as our Chief Financial Officer is aimed at finding a buyer for part of Aiteo’s assets is spurious and demonstrates that the publishers’ understanding of the commercial realities in the operation of assets such as OML 29 is shallow. All of our stakeholders familiar with our strategic vision can attest that Aiteo continues to invest in the right people to deliver on that vision. Mr. Burrows’ appointment is simply to further strengthen our financial discipline as one of the most innovative, reliable and diverse oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria today. Mr Burrows joins a team of highly trained, experienced and world-class talent that currently guide the day to day activities of Aiteo. “ For the record, OML 29 was indisputably, legitimately and transparently secured in an internationally conducted divestment by the private entity, Shell. The funding of this acquisition was made possible through a syndicated loan involving several Nigerian banks. Since then, we have continued to meet our financial obligations as and when due, like every other responsible, global conglomerate of our stature.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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RB Durex in partnership with PPFN on sexual health

NaijaAgroNet:

In accordance with RB’s continuous commitment to being a socially responsible organization, RB Durex has signed an agreement with the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) to help improve the sexual health and wellbeing of Nigerians, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The scope of the partnership covers Sexual and Reproductive Health education and increasing consumer access to condoms by opening new channels and reaching consumers previously unreached.

According to a recent report by World Health Organization (WHO), ‘Every day, more than one million sexually transmitted infections are acquired worldwide, and each year an estimated 78 million people are infected, constituting a major health concern also in Nigeria.’ Sexual Health Education and Contraception are therefore twin preventive health strategies to curb this. Research and Real World data reveals that male latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, is an effective approach to achieve a reduction in the spread of sexually transmitted infections and prevent unintended pregnancy.

Rahul Murgai, the Managing Director of RB Nigeria and Dr Ibrahim M. Ibrahim, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) were optimistic that the joint efforts of the two organizations will help drive the sexual and reproductive health agenda in Nigeria.

Speaking about the partnership with PPFN, Rahul Murgai said, “RB is excited to partner with PPFN to create scaled awareness and education in Nigeria on planned-parenthood, maternal health, safe contraception techniques and targeted reduction in HIV related deaths through the effective and consistent use of condoms. Through this collaboration, consumers will have the requisite education and empowerment to improve their Sexual Health with easy access to Durex- the World number 1 condom brand.” 

Over the years RB has been at the forefront for cause-related initiatives that further the progress of Nigeria on UN Sustainable Development Goals such as reduction in infant mortality from preventable diseases such as diarrhea and malaria, improved public health and sanitation from reduced open defecation problem and now partnering to reduce HIV related deaths. Its brands, which are popular household names such as Dettol, Mortein and Harpic, have active partnerships with Federal Ministry of Health (MoH), Save the Children (STC), Nigerian Medical association which work to educate new mothers, school children and reach LGAs like Shomolu in Lagos to promote good healthy habits like handwashing and to build a healthier nation.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) is a national non-governmental organization and a leading advocate and provider of sexual and reproductive health services. PPFN is a member of the global movement that strives for universal access to reproductive health services to all (including poor, marginalized, vulnerable and socially excluded people) without discrimination.  According to Dr Ibrahim “this partnership will contribute towards PPFN’s objective of expanding access to quality services particularly for young persons in Nigeria.”

The PPFN and Durex strategic partnership will go a long way in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STIs. It will also contribute to reducing the incidence of unwanted/unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortion as well as significantly improving the overall level of health and well-being in Nigeria.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Fighting malnutrition: Aliko Dangote Foundation joins global leaders, pledges US$100m for Nigeria

NaijaAgroNet:

The Global Nutrition Summit 2017 ended in the city of Milan, Italy, with Aliko Dangote Foundation joining global crusade with a pledge of $100m for Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation, NaijaAgroNet gathered is on a mission to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition by 60 percent in the most needy areas of Nigeria, specifically the North East and North West.

The summit which convened governments, international agencies, foundations, civil society organisations and businesses to accelerate the global response to malnutrition, underlined the cause of nearly half of all global child deaths.

NaijaAgroNet reports that a major highlight of the Summit was the pledge by the Aliko Dangote Foundation to invest US$100 million over five years to tackle malnutrition in the worst-affected parts of Nigeria.

“The Aliko Dangote Foundation is the philanthropic organization of Aliko Dangote, founder and Executive Chairman of the Dangote Group, Africa’s largest homegrown conglomerate.

The Global Nutrition Summit is the global forum of the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2026).

This year’s edition, NaijaAgroNet reports was held in close partnership with a number of international stakeholders including the U.K.’s Department for International Development, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the International Coalition on Advocacy for Nutrition.

The governments of Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Zambia all made commitments to expand their nutrition programmes and the Summit succeeded in galvanizing US3.4 billion according to the organisers.

Malnutrition affects every country in the world in various forms, however Africa is particularly hard hit and Nigeria is home to the highest numbers of malnourished children.

Almost half of the one million children who die before the age of five every year in Nigeria, die of malnutrition as the underlying cause. Without the proper nutrients during the first 1,000 days of life starting from conception up to their second birthday, children are less likely to survive childhood diseases such as malaria and pneumonia, and are less likely to escape poverty as adults.

Experts say, these children become physically and cognitively stunted, a fate that has befallen 11 million of Nigeria’s children under five.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation’s Managing Director and CEO Zouera Youssoufou said: “Nigeria’s high malnutrition rate is undermining progress towards improving child health and survival and putting the brakes on economic development. By investing in nutrition, we aim to directly improve the lives of Nigerian families and to empower our citizens to reach their full potential.”

The Global Nutrition Report 2017, launched at the Summit, showed that, in spite of progress, 155 million children globally are still stunted and the world is off track on meeting internationally agreed nutrition targets. Financing to tackle malnutrition has been alarmingly low. Donors spend about 0.5 percent of overseas aid on nutrition, and countries allocate between one and two percent of their health budgets to the issue.

“The global malnutrition crisis endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of present and future generations” said Kofi Annan, speaking at the summit in his capacity as Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “Progress in tackling both undernutrition and obesity is possible with targeted commitments, like those made here today. We need further urgent investments so that people, communities and nations can reach their full potential.”

Through his Foundation, since 1993, Aliko Dangote has made significant social investments in health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief. He is now becoming the strongest voice for nutritional leadership nationally and on the continent of Africa. By making this unprecedented US$100 Million commitment, the Aliko Dangote Foundation is on a mission to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition by 60 percent in the most needy areas of Nigeria, specifically the North East and North West, where malnutrition has affected millions of lives and crippled the local economy.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE 

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Okorocha in trouble with G42 over N850m Xmas Tree

NaijaAgroNet:

A socio-political group, G42 Imo Liberation Forum has warned the state government to desist from what it described as a waste of tax payers’ money over its alleged plans to spend a whooping Eight Hundred and Fifty Million Naira on erecting a Christmas tree ahead of the Christmas celebration, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A statement signed by the Director of Communications of the group, Dr. Walter Duru and made available to newsmen further described the plan as a misplaced priority, even as he accused the government of insensitivity.

“The attention of G-42 Imo Liberation Forum has been drawn to an alleged plan by the Imo State Government under the leadership of Chief Rochas Okorocha to spend about Eight Hundred and Fifty Million Naira on a meaningless Christmas tree ahead of the 2017 Christmas celebration.”

“This is coming at a time Civil Servants and Pensioners in the state are being owed several months arrears of salary and other entitlements; while poverty is at its highest level in the history of the state.”

“The situation is made worst by the fact that the dust raised by the over Five Hundred Million Naira allegedly spent in the building of a Statue for the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma is yet to settle.”

“We refuse to treat this as mere speculation as history has shown that this is not far from the style of the present administration in the state; a government that is not accountable to anyone and is run in utmost secrecy. The government must tell Imo people how much it actually spent on erecting the ridiculous Jacob Zuma Statue and others there-in, as well as the said Christmas tree.“

“The G-42 Imo Liberation Forum, a Socio-political group in the state sees this as the highest level of insensitivity, misplaced priority and share waste of the people’s resources and hereby condemn it.”

Continuing, Duru accused the Okorocha-led government of disrespecting the citizens of the state, even as he urged him to discontinue the project and pay attention to the welfare of the citizens.

“The present APC-led government must realize that it is holding the people’s resources on thrust and therefore accountable to the people. This administration has treated Imo people with so much disrespect and disdain that we can no longer fold our arms to allow this anomaly to continue.”

“We therefore call on the state government to discontinue the wanton waste of the peoples’ resources and invest the people’s resources in areas that are beneficial to majority of the citizens.”

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FG, States pledge matching fund for rural sanitation, promotion

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government and some implementing states have committed to a matching fund of $5million as counterpart contribution to the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Margaret E. Umoh, in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet, said that Nigeria secured the grant for the project through the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), which is a coalition of relevant government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners and civil society organisations working in the sanitation sub-sector.

The Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, was quoted as saying this during the meeting with State Governors on the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) in Abuja.

“As we are all aware, access to improved sanitation in Nigeria has declined over time. As a result, there are over 70 million people without access to improve sanitation and more than 45 million 

people practicing open defecation in Nigeria,” he said.

Recognizing the public health risk, he pointed out that the Federal Government called on states and development partners to invest in the water, sanitation and hygiene sub-sector as Federal Government cannot fund it all alone.

Adamu said further that the RUSHPIN project which is going on in 6 Local Government Areas of Benue and Cross River States is a good example of government’s efforts in mobilizing resources to the sector in view of the limited resources available.

The Minister added that the Federal Government through the instrument of Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme and the roadmap of ending open defecation by 2025 in the country, has demonstrated commitment in addressing the issues of water, sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria.

Adamu thanked the Executive Director of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Dr. Chris Williams for the support given to Nigeria through the Global Sanitation Fund grant. While thanking Ondo and Sokoto States for their interest in the RUSHPIN project, he called on other states to key into the project as investing in water, sanitation and hygiene would protect the health of the people.

Present at the meeting were the governors of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Responding, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom said that in conjunction with the Federal Government, Benue State has paid 5million into the RUSHPIN Project in the state. While his counterpart from Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal said that the state counterpart fund will be captured in the 2018 budget proposal. The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said that the issue of open defecation in the state is a big challenge, and that they are ready to partner with the Federal Government and other development partners in addressing the issue.

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Human health: Five new chemicals under surveillance

NaijaAgroNet:

Some five new chemicals are currently under consideration by the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention, reports NaijaAgroNet.

CRC arising from its 13^th meeting revealed that three more chemicals were recommended for inclusion in the Rotterdam Convention, whilst two more are recommended for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention, thereby bringing to five some new chemicals under consideration.

The 13^th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention, which was held back-to-back with POPRC and which concluded, successfully and recommended to the Conference of Parties (COP) the listing of phorate, acetochlor and hexabromocyclododecane in Annex III of the Convention. 

Acetochlor, a selective herbicide, has been used on maize in Sahelian West African countries. It poses a high risk to aquatic organisms as well as long-term risks to herbivorous birds and to humans.

Phorate, a pesticide, has been used for example in Brazil as an insecticide in cotton, potato, coffee, beans and corn and is considered one of the most toxic organophosphate AChE inhibitors.

Ogochukwu Nebenanya/GEE
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